Adjustable lay for clarinets



Feb; 3, 1925 1,525,430

F. H. LIVINGSTON ADJUSTABLE LAY FOR CLARiNETS Filed April 22, 1921 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE LAY FOR GLARINETS.

Application filed April 22, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. LIVING- STON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Lays for Clarinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in adjustable lays for clarinets and saxophone mouth pieces, and it has for its object to provide an adjustable support for adjusting the reed to secure the desired interval between the tip or point thereof and the face of the mouth piece and for the adjustment of the reeds in opening and closing the mouth piece of clarinets and saxophones, and thereby removing the difliculty experienced in adjusting and fitting reeds to mouth pieces, so as to perfect the tone of the instrument.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a part of my device.

Fig. 3 is a side view of my device.

Fig. 4 is a side view in cross-section of my device.

Fig. 5 is a cross section at 55 of Figure 3.

The same reference characters denote like parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention I provide a metal frame or support A adapted to be fitted in and fitted upon the mouth piece of the clarinet B, and upon the upper side of mouth piece B, the frame or support A being held in position by the screws 2, or in any other convenient removable manner. The mouth piece B may be recessed to receive the frame A as clearly shown in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 4. The frame A has on 1ts upper surface the vertlcal and longitudinal flanges or guides 3, and pivoted between said guides by means of the plvots i I have the metal plate 0, through the rear end of which I have adjustably mounted in frame A the turn screw 5. As a further part of my invention, I have the tape Serial No. 463,500.

spring 6 having its rear end bent into the downwardly projecting portion 7 which is inserted in the slot 8 thus holding said tape sprlng in firm position on said mouth piece beneath the lay and forming a sliding support therefor. On the surface of said lay C, I place the reed G in its usual position on the mouth piece. I then mount upon the mouth piece the adjustable ligature or clamp F, adjusting it and fitting it by means of the screws 9, thus holding the reed in its usual position upon the mouth piece and upon the surface of the lay. In the opera tion of my device when I desire to adjust the position of the reed for the purpose of opening or closing the same according to the requirements of the performer, I turn the vertical screw 5, which in this operation raises or lowers the lay C and thus raises or lowers the reed G enlarging or contracting the opening of the mouth piece until the right amount of air passing between reed and mouth piece fits the embouchure of the performer, and in this manner a yielding adustable movement of the reed on the lay is acquired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and for which I desire Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a reed instrument, the combination of a mouth-piece having an inlet opening therein, a metallic support mounted on its upper surface, having parallel longitudinal guides projecting therefrom, a lay pivotally mounted between said guides, adjustable means for raising or lowering said lay, a reed resting on said lay, clamping means for holding it thereon, and means operative to adjust said reed within said space.

2. In a mouth piece for reed instruments, the combination of a mouth piece, a support mounted thereon, a longitudinal vertically and pivotally adjustable lay mounted there on, a reed supported on said lay, and means for holding said reed in position, and means for adjusting said supporting lay, to vary the interval between the reed tip and the face of the mouth piece.

3. In a mouth piece for reed instruments. the combination of a mouth piece, a support longitudinally mounted on the upper face thereof, a longitudinal, vertically and pivotally adjustable and spring supported lay mounted thereon, a reed supported on said pivotally mounted in the supporting memlay, clampin means for holding the reed in her, means for raising and lowering the lay, position, an means for adjusting the disa reed resting on the lay and clamping l tance between reed tip and mouth pieee. means for clamping the reed thereon.

5 4. In a reed instrumentga combination of In testimony 'Whereof I have affixed my a mouth piece provided with a recess,-a'supsignature. porting member disposed in the recess, a lay FREQERIQK H, LIVINGSTON. 

